Ornament



J. FREI. JR

April 12, 1932.

ORNAMENT Filed Sept. 8, -1930 3 Sheets-Sheet J. FREI. JR

April 12, 1932.

ORNAMENT y lllllllll J. FREI. JR

April 12, 1932.

ORNAMENT 3 Sheets-Shet Filed Sept. 8, 1930 f W W f u' 15 automobile.

' same as being Patented Apr. 12, 1932 PATENT' OFFICE JOHN FREI, JR., or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS ORNAMENT Application filed September 8, 1930.` Serial No. 480,354.

The presentfinvention relates to an ornament and is more particularly concerned with a decorative wreath which may be readily attached to a radiator cap or spout of an The main obj ect of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive lornament that may be attached and removed from the ran diator cap or spout of an automobile with die facility.

f Another object is to provide the ornament with simple and ecient means for clamping the same to a radiator cap or spout 1n a y manner which -will hold the-ornament securei ly and` prevent it fromnbecoming displaced orV loosened. Y f

Further objects andV advantages will here'- inafter appear in the following detailed del, y yscription of the embodiment of the present '20 device, reference being ,had vto the accom- Y panying drawings.

In the drawings: FigureV 1 is a front elevational view of the embodiment of my invention, illustrating 4the attached to the cap of an auto-r mobile radiator;

Figure'2 is a bottom view of the ornament shown in Figure y1,.omitting the decorations therefrom; 7

Figure 3 is a sectional view of amodified form of ornament frame; l

Figure 4 illustrates a side view of a second modified form of ornamentiframe construction;

Figure 5 is a in Figure 4; y H Figures 6,7, 8, Sand 10 illustrate other i modied "forms of frame structures; and

Figure 1l illustratesa modiiication' of the preferred form kof Figure l, wherein an illuminated candle has been'V embodied as an additiveattraction within the loop of the decorative wreath.

Referring to Figure 1,:theornamentwhich is here shown in the'form of'a `decorative 1wreath8, comprises a frame 9 as a skeleton yfor the decorations to `be carried, and arcuate' clamping members'll. rlhe framef9 is conveniently formed from Aa suitable length face view of the frame shown of spring wire, or the like, and the decorative sprays 12 and berries 13 may be secured to the frame 9 in a known manner. In addition to the sprays 12 and berries 13, other decora'- tions such as jinglefbells 14 may likewise be secured to the frame 9 as a further attraction. Although Figure 1 shows a decorative wreath and bells, it is obvious that lthe resilient frame 9 may be utilized for supporting any other decorations desired.

The clamping members 11 may be formed by means of arcuately bent wires of'k suitable strength as shown in Figure 2 at 15, such wires being secured tothe ends of the wire frame 9 by welding or soldering, as at 16. If desired, wire 15 may be either of spring mate` rial or of rigid construction. Short lengths of rubber tubing 17 are slipped over the ends of the clamping wires 15 to guard against scratching the radiator finish, or marring` the radiator cap 18 when the ornament is being removed or applied. The rubber tubing 17 also acts as a frictional means for preventing the vibrations of an automobile from causing the ornament to turn on the radiator cap 18, while also preventing the ornament from slipping vertically on said cap. The frame 9,v due to its inherent resiliency, holds members 11 tightly about cap 18, or the filler neck of the radiator, as the case may be. f

Ordinarily, the pieces of tubing17 will be frictionally held on the wires 15 by reason of the arcuate form of the latter, but if necessary, a suitable adhesive maybe applied to the wires before the tubing is pushed thereover, to positively prevent the loosening of tubing pieces 17 andpossible loss thereof. y

The present device visy yadvantageous by reason of its simplicity offconstruction aswell as the ease with which it may be attached 'to and removedfrom a radiatorfcap or other object. Bytaking hold of the frame '9, withv one hand at each side thereof, and spreading the frame slightly, the clamping members 11 may be separated suflicientlyto pass downwardly over the rim 19 of the cap 18, and by releasing the frame 9 the ornament is secured in the position shown in Figure 1, from which it mayreadily be removed by reversing the operation described. l

Referring now to the kmodified form ofy holder shown in Figure 3, it is to be noted that Ythe clamping members 11a are disposed in offset relation to the frame 9a. This form of holder has been particularly devised for attaching the ornament to an automobile havinga projection, such as a motormeter, extending above the radiatorcap. Since a motormeter projects a considerable distance above the cap, it would interfere with a deco-- rative ornament constructed as that illustrated in Figure 1. For this reason, the clamping members 11a have been offset to bring the frame 9a out of the vertical plane of the motormeter. The clamping members may be oifset to either face of frame 9ct if desired, but in practice they will most generally be offset as shown in Figure 3 so as to bring the" plane of the ornament forward oit the motor-meter so that the latter may readily be viewed by the driver. Attention is called to the fact that the frame 9a and clamping members 11a of the modified form above referred to, are constructed from a single piece of Wire producing a very inexpensive framework or the ornament.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate another form of holder comprising a pair of suitably bent spring Wires 21 and 22 which are welded together as at 23 to form the frame. Inthis construction the ends of the Wires 21 and 22 are bent outwardly and arcuately to form the clamping elements 24 and 25, respectively.

Figure 6 illustrates another modified form of frame comprising a pair of twisted spring wires 26 and 27 having their ends turned outwardly to form the clamping elements 28 and 129. respectively.

Fignre'7 illustrates a modified form of ltrame wherein the holder or frame 30 is formed from a fiat piece of springmaterial,

vsuch as spring steel, and a pair of clamping members 31 are suitably secured theretov as by welding or soldering. Members 31 may be made of flat spring'material as shown in Firrure 7,-or short lengths of arcuately bent wire, such as 15 in Figure 2, may also be utilized. By using flat spring metal for the clamping members 3 1, it is apparent that these members will readily adjust themselves to conferirl to 'a large range-of cap sizes. Likewise. the

clamping members of any of the other forms shown in Figures 2. 3, 4 and 6 may readily be bent inwardly or outwardly to conform with Adifferent shapes and sizes of radiator caps.

' cumbersome matter to attach split clamps of Vvarious types of ornaments to a radiator cap by means of fastening bolts. With the present construction, as shown in Figure 8, the attachment oi the ornament to the radiator cap or spout becomes an easy matter. This is obvious by reason oi the fact that on springing the frame open the clamping members readily pass over the cap, and the release of the frame will cause the clamping members to firmly grip the cap or spout, whereby the ornament is self-sustained, and bolts 38 may then be inserted through ears 37, with facility, and tightened to further secure the ornament.

Figure 9 is a modified form for use on an automobile equipped with a motormeter. This form differs from that illustrated in Figure 3 in that the spring frame 40 is bent laterally, as at 41, to join substantially the midpoints of the clamping members 42. Members 42, in this device, are under additional spring pressure when in clamped position on a radiator cap or spout, since the laterally extending portions 41 of the spring frame 40 likewise exert spring pressure on the clamps.

Figure 10 is another modified formy which is a combination of the forms of ornamentholders shown in Figures 8 and 9. This construction comprises a spring frame 40a, lateral extensionsI 41a and clamping members 42a. The latter are arcuate in form and are provided with extended ears 37a adapted for receiving suitable bolts 38a. 1

There are many possible variations of my invention, as above indicated and as will be obvious to those skilled in the art. For example, the addition of an illuminated candle, or of lights, etc. Figure v11 illustrates the use of an illuminated candle as embodied in the preferred form of Figure 1, and includes a suitable type of lamp 45, in the shape of a candle, a receptacle or socket 46 for the lamp, and a suitable support 47, the latter being welded or otherwise secured to the spring frame 9. One of the socket terminals is ounded, and a battery wire 48 is connected with the other terminal for supplying the necessary current for illuminating lamp 45.

Although preferred and satisfactory embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it'will be obviousthat changes may be made therein within the spirit and scope of the invention, and,- therefore, I do not wish to be strictly limited thereto but only in so far as is set forth in the' appended claims.

What I claim is f 1. A decorative ornament adapted to be attached to a member of an automobile radiator Structure, comprising spring means for supporting decorations, and clamping means carried by the spring means and adapt-ed to engage about the radiator member, said spring means acting to urge said clamping means tightly about said member.

2. A decorative ornament adapted to be loop, and rubber tubes fitting over said clamping members, said clamping members being adapted to engage about said radiator member, and said spring loop acting to urge said clamping members tightly about the radiator member, said rubber tubingfrictionally preventing movement of said ornament relatively to the radiator member.

central vertical transverse plane of the loop substantially at right angles to said plane, said members extending an appreciable disance beyond and laterally of the plane of the oop.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 6th day of September, 1930.

y JOHN FREI, JR.

4. A decorative ornament adapted to be attached to a member of an automobile radiator structure, comprising a vertically extending loop of resilient material for supporting decorations, and rubber covered clamping means secured to the ends of said loop and disposed in a plane at right angles to the vertical plane of the loop and adapted to frictionally engage about said member, said vertically extending loop acting byvirtue of its resiliency to urge said clamping means tightly about said member.

5. An ornament kcomprising a decorative wreath adapted to be attachedto a member of an automobile radiator structure, a spring wire frame having said wreath secured thereto, and clamping means carried by each end of said frame and extending laterally from the vertical plane thereof, each of said clamping means being arcuate in form with the open sides thereof facing ,each other and adapted to engage `about said member, said spring wire frame acting to urge said clamping means tightly about said member to support said ornament.

6. In a device of the character described, a resilient supporting frame in the form of an open loop with its ends spaced apart, opposedy clamping members secured to the ends of the loop, and a supporting member secured to the loop and projecting inwardly thereof for supporting an ornament within said loop.

7. In a device of the character described, a resilient supporting frame in the form of an open loop with its endsspaced apart, opposed clamping members secured to the ends of the loop, a supporting member carried by said device and projecting inwardly of theV loop for supporting an ornament.

8; In a device of the character described, a supporting framein the form of an open loop with its ends spaced apart, and opposed clamping members attachedto the ends of the loop and extending inwardly toward the 

